Through the years, many different types of toys have been developed for entertainment and amusement of human infants and babies. Such toys have assumed a variety of configurations and designs. Certain types of such infant toys are configured to be mounted to or supported by the infant's crib in order to provide entertainment and amusement of the infant within the crib environment. In recent years, an increased emphasis has arisen regarding such crib toys which exhibits a preference for crib toys which simultaneously provide entertainment or amusement value to occupy the child's attention within the crib environment and to provide developmental capabilities. The latter are directed primarily to increasing the infant's responsiveness to sight and sound as well as aiding in the development of manual dexterity skills. Thus, the preferred crib toys are those which simultaneously provide amusement and entertainment together with developmental and functional capability. To meet this need, practitioners in the art have developed a substantial number of crib toys which have assumed an almost endless variety of sizes, shapes and activities.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,159 issued to Bass, et al. sets forth a DIRECTION REVERSING CRIB TOY in which a crib toy is configured to replicate a fanciful locomotive and includes an outer housing defining an internal downwardly facing U-shaped channel therethrough. The channel is intended to receive the top rail of the toy crib and support the toy thereon. Drive means within the toy are configured to contact the upper crib rail within the U-shaped channel and move the toy back and forth along the crib rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,640 issued to Shindo, et al. sets forth a TOY FOR USE WITH INFANT FURNITURE in which an elongated curved track is adapted to be secured to opposing sides of a toy crib. The elongated track thus bridges the space above the infant resting surface. A visually attractive toy member is movably secured to the elongated track and means are provided for moving the amusement member back and forth along the track.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,843 issued to Appel sets forth a CHILD'S TOY in which a turtle-shaped frame is provided with a recess and post located within and projecting outwardly from the recess. A plurality of spheres are freely disposed within the recess. A hub is rotatably mounted on the frame post and spaced apart from the recess perimeter to provide a channel within which the balls can be moved. Means are provided for producing an audible sound and for coupling the frame to a crib rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,399 issued to Abe sets forth a SEQUENTIAL ACTION TOY HAVING A PLURALITY OF CAMS in which a toy includes a housing and drive motor within the housing. A movable member is coupled to the motor via a cam and cam follower arrangement to provide motion thereof. A second movable member is supported upon a elongated support shaft and in turn supports various amusement figures. A second cam and cam follower arrangement provides a variety of motions for the second member and supported amusement figures. An internal central processing unit electronically generates a assortment of musical selections to enhance toy amusement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,114 issued to Hyman, et al. sets forth an IMPACT ACTIVATED TOY FOR USE IN A CHILD'S CRIB. A closed housing supports music generating means together with a momentary push button switch and an impact sensitive switch. The music generating means responds to either the momentary switch or impacts to the toy housing which trip the impact sensitive switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,317 issued to Breslow, et al. sets forth a SOUND ACTUATED COMPETITIVE GAME APPARATUS in which a skill type game includes a playing area with two goal areas at opposite ends thereof. A sound actuated flipper at each goal is positioned for blocking and returning a playing object. Sounds actuation means are provided for receiving sound commands and actuating the flipper arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,7I7,364 issued to Furukawa sets forth a VOICE CONTROLLED TOY in which a voice actuated robot receives commands via a radio transmitter and receiver. Responsive to these commands, the toy robot undertakes a variety of actions. Means are provided for deciphering the incoming messages and determining the commands found therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,404 issued to Berger sets forth a SOUND CONTROLLABLE TOY in which a doll or toy figure includes means for producing motion within the doll or toy figure together with sound actuating means which respond to received sounds to initiate motion of the doll or toy figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,201 issued to Brown, et al. sets forth a TOY in which a motor driven toy apparatus is movably supported within a closed housing. A microphone and sound receiving circuit within the housing is coupled to a motor drive unit to activate the motor drive and initiate toy motion upon receipt of acoustic energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,007 issued to Sakurai sets forth a TOY HAVING A MELODY MAKING MECHANISM OF A SOUND DETECTION TYPE in which a toy such as a stuffed doll includes a melody making mechanism of a sound detection device. The melody making mechanism is provided with a sound detector, an amplifier and a switching circuit in such arrangement that operation of the melody making mechanism may be discontinued after a predetermined period of time. A sound detection means within the toy responds to externally produced sounds to initiate operation of the melody producing mechanism for a predetermined period of time.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,453,439 and 3,614,840 and 937,780 set forth additional toy and game devices of general interest to the present invention.
Despite the creation of numerous toys and amusement devices of which the foregoing prior art is exemplary, there remains a continuing need for newer more interesting and more amusing crib toys.